Vibratory parts feeder



March 18, 1958 F. E. SMITH VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER 2 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1954 FIG. 2

IN VEN TOR. FLOYD EDWARD SMITH 1958 F. E SMITH 2,827,158

VIBRATORY PARTS FEEDER Filed Oct. 25, 1954 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FLOYD EDWARD. SMITH 2,527,153 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 fire VEBRATORY PARTS FEEDER Floyd Edward Smith, Erie, Pa.

Application October 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,320

7 Claims. (Cl. 193-220) This invention relates to sorting machines and more particularly to the vibratory type of sorting machine for a large number of articles of manufacture wherein the articles are dressed into position preparatory to a manufacturing operation. 7

This application constitutes a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 371,983, filed August 3, 1953, and constitutes an improvement thereover in that in the present machine, the shape of the springs supporting the hopper is such that they will not slip from their clamped position on the hopper, even though they are not clamped tightly, and the hopper itself may be adjusted to a position to give optimum feeding from a given vibration, amplitude, and frequency. Further, various styles and designs of hoppers can be used on the same base.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to overcome certain disadvantages in previous sorting machines and, more particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a novel type of suspension for sorting machines and a novel type of hopper therefor which are economical to manufacture, simple in construction, and simple to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of spring for supporting a vibratory sorting machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sorting machine having spring supports thereto which utilize both a torsional and a bending effect in the spring itself and wherein the springs are adapted to be positively clamped to the hopper and to the base.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel combination of sorting machine with an adjustable and interchangeable hopper thereon.

- With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of'the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top view of a sorting machine according to the invention; 1 r

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram for operating the solenoid of the sorting machine;

Fig.4 is a top view of the connecting means for conmeeting the spring supports to the base in the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the connecting means shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the clamping means for clamping the hopper to the base.

Now with more specific reference to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2, a vibratory machine 1 is shown having a hopper 2. The hopper 2 is supported by spring members 3, 4, and 5 on a base 6. The springs 3, 4, and 5 are U- shaped having the intermediate portion 7 and the end portions 8 and 9. The springs 3, 4, and 5 are non-circulat in cross section as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and they are received in complementary perpendicular non-circular seats 40 in block members 24. A plate 14 may be disposed between the blocks 24 and the base 6 and between the blocks 24 and the plate 44. The plates 14 have a non-circular opening 42 to accommodate the lower portion of the non-circular spring members 3, 4, and 5.

The hopper 2 is made up of the bottom it and the cylindrical upstandnig side portion 11 which contains a trough or track 12 which is spiral in shape when viewed from above the bottom 10 thereof and which is also inclined upwardly in a helical path. The hopper 2 may be provided with the required number of baifies and troughs for the particular requirement of the individual job or the trough 12 could be extended in a multiplicity of turns being of greater angle to the base 6 and of the form of a conveyor.

The bottom 10 of the hopper 2 is supported on the plate 44. The bottom 10 of the hopper 2 has the peripheral groove 45 therein and the lower edge of the plate 44 has the groove 46 therein, Spaced clamps 47 have a lower flange 48 which engages the groove 46 and engages the downwardly facing face 49 thereof. A clearance is provided between the upper surface 65 of the clamping member 47 and the lower surface 5t) of the bottom it) so that the inclined surface 60 will slide upward on the surface 61 of the bottom it) when the bolt 63 is tightened. The bolt 63 threadably engages the threaded hole 62 in the plate 44. p

The plates 14 are secured to the plate 44 and the bo tom turn of the hopper 2 rests on the plate 44 and the blocks 24 serve to hold one end 8 of the spring members 3, 4, and 5 to the bottom of the vibratory hopper 2. The blocks 24 and plates 14 have openings which are generally shaped'to surround one end 3 of the spring members 3, 4, and 5 and to clamp the end 8 rigidly to the plates 44 and base 6. The blocks 24 and plates 14 comprise a bracket 17 which is held thereto by means of bolts 20 which pass through holes 21 in the brackets 17 and threadably engage the plates 14 at 22. In like mannor, the brackets 17 surround the end of the spring members 3, 4, and 5 and hold them against movement and rotation relative to the base 6 in cooperation with the plates 14. The hopper 2 may be supported on three or more spring supports 3, 4, ends and it will be apparent that when the hopper 2 is moved toward the base 6, the ends of the spring members 3, 4, and 5 may be twisted; that is, the intermediate part 7 will be subjected to bending and a torsional reaction will result in the ends 8 and 9. In this manner, the hopper 2 will be moved toward the base 6 axially and, at the same time, it will be rotated.

It will be apparent that this oscillatory and rotative movement of the hopper 2 is very rapid, that the parts or articles held therein will be thrown toward the outer edge of the hopper member 2 into the trough 12, and that they will move upward along the inclined path 13; that is, the hopper 2 will move down and backward from each article. Then, as the article drops down to meet it, the hopper 2 will move up and forward, moving the article, and then drop out from under the article, move backward again, pick the article up again; and move it forward.

The hopper). maybe operated by mechanical means; however, it may be operated by means of a solenoid excited by rectified A. C. on the circuit shown in Fig. 3 which is similar to that shown in Patent Number 1,918,45 6 or the circuit may be simplified to a simple rectified circuit to supply pulsating A. C. to the solenoid as shown in Fig. 3.

The solenoid 145 for operating the sorting device has a main frame 31 attached to the base 6 at 32 by welding or brazing and the frame 31 extends upwardly at 33 to form an armature 35 for the solenoid 34. The solenoid 34 reacts on the movablejarmature 35 whichis attached to the bottom of the hopper 2 at 36 to be moved therewith. It will be apparent that when the solenoid 34 of the l i i xc ede ma n t w ld twin; b set up so that linesvof m'ag'netic force flow throughtthe parts 37 and '33 of ethe armature ;35.- and through {the armature 35,, tending -to pull ,thear'mature s35 downward ;tothe solenoid 145, thus' pulling-v the, hopper f downward-against the force of the; springs '3, 4, and 5.. a {It will be; apparent that the frequencytof movement of vthe solenoid- 145 will be exactly equalito thetfrequencykof the line A.,C. which is attached to thev'plate 4410 meet therewit ;;This should bethe,natural frequency;of the springs-3,4 and5. 1,

In-Fig. She-rectifier circuit foraexciting thesolenoid 145. is shown rmad xup Qfifl fI DS I 3 W i SUP- plies current; {through the -.adjustable resistance element 148, and is rectifiedhyl the :tube 147' and from thereflows through thesolenoid 145.

' The forego'lg specification sets forth theinv eution in t 1. A sorting vdevice comprising ,a cylindricalghopper t havingsa helical troughdisposed therein, gsaid hopper being supported on springs, ,said ,springs being-,U-shaped,

one end -ofsaid U-shaped springsattached tosaid h pper commensurate ,with th and the other end thereof ,attachedtma base, the ends of said springs being disposed generally radially ;of- -said hopper, and a solenoid-fixed to said base and having-an armature attached {to ,said hopperand adapted to-be actuated by a pulsating electrical current whereby said circular in cross section, anda icomplementaryshaped device is vibrated, the ends ,of,sai'd springs gbeing 'nonbracket surrounding :and clamping said ends to said a p e 7 7 I 2. .Asorting device comp sing .a yl ndri al sh pp r having a l cal-tmu sposed 'theleimp raid hopper b a ing supported on springs, Esaid springs -;bein g -,U.@shaped, one end of said U-shaped springs ;being;attachedt o said hopper "and the other endrth e f b ng ttached to base, the ends of said springs being disposed generally radially of, said hoppena:solenoid;fixedidsaidgba e an having ,aniarmatureattached to said' hoppenandtadapted to bra-actuated by zaspulsating electrical current: whereby V intermittentpulsating: forceu-toisai lh pper vv.vh er.el v said 3. A sorting device:comprisingga cylindrieal hopper having a helical trough disposedthereimsaidhopper being supported onspringsrrsaidrsprings being Ul-shaped and-oneendof each said u-shapedspringmttached:to said hopper and :the other endihereofizattached :to :agbase,

the ends of said springs being disposedgenerallyradially of said hopper, 'a solenoid fixed to-saidabaseiandhaving an armature attached tosaidhopper;and;;adapted1o-be actuated by a pulsating ,electrical v jcurrentwhereby: said device; is vibrated, 1 and means 1 on :Saidfhopper to attach said hopper to, said springs,1said-means-on said hopper; to

attach said hopper tosaid-springscomprisinga,clampin device whereby said. hopper-may :be attached to :said

springs and adjustably rotated relative to said base to adjust said hopper for optimum vibration characteristics. 4. The sorting device recited in claim 3 wherein said clamping device comprises a downwardly/and outwardly disposed surface on the peripheral edge of said hopper, a downwardly facing edge on a member having a relatively flat surface, a clamping member having .an upwardly facing surface adapted to engage said downwardly facing surfacean upwardly and'inwardlyfgfacing surface port a hopper, said means to support a hopper being" spaced from said base, means attached to said base and t said means to supp rt;a:h ppenresflientlr'supuor i saidm an ;to.:supp. r a h pp -.f r;vi ratton:thereotzin h lical x pa h -rel iv o= ai b e ,a tu t neme nsacom nected to s d hopper support ng means.- means reapply an intermittent electrical current to said jactuat ing .-means t vibre l idt means s ppgrtahoppenrelative toisai e, a eylni ical hopper tsupp rtedzcntsaidymeans :to

ppo eh penas id hoppenheving ah li ali rack di P e therein and se te t ngrz fr m ttherh ttom thereot; pwardly tcward th t p aroundrethe sinner periphery thereoft said itra k rcomprising .an inclined pa h terminating att tsnpperend at one side of said hoppe ,;.an engaging h ro te tpe ipheraledge of said hopper and en ging s idcmea :to s pp rt a h pp to lectivel clamp said :hoppento said; means tosupporta hopperin any of; a plura i y o -'p s.i o s wh y said hopp m y et-unc amped an rotated t rr i ion ons i tme nsto support a hopper to relocate said upper end of-said hopper.

,6. The device recitedinclaim 5 whe iein saidplan ping means comprises radially disposed bolts-threadablyengage ing said means, to support a hQPPer.

7. A, sorting device comprising a .cylindricallhopp ha ing arhelicaltrack di p sedsaro nd the, inner peripherythereof, a Support for said h pper, a basegresilient, means, said hopper being supported onsaid support-inrspaced relation pit-said base by, said;resilient-mfinsQrQne end f saidl resilient means; eing r ttachedi o said baserandithe,

other to said supportyactuating means tori-applying hopper and sai upp rt ,sare: vibrated in I a heal rpath relative to said base, andemleanstonaHQCMPSssfiid. PM! tosaid,a lpllortg1saidrat achingzm aqs2c9mp i ing circu ferentially spaced. clamping members ion said; support engaging the onterv p ripheral edge oft-saidhopperreaid clamping members being releasable to allowtsai hopper to berotated on said support to any position on;- said sup! portewherebyvthe posi io .ot-the. outlet tromztsaidttraek relative to saidbase canxbech nged. Y a

References Cited in the file i 'flflf 'UNITEDtZSTATES PATENTS 1,497,603 Stebbins Iune-1o, i924 1,920,672 Andersen Aug-15 1933 72,654,466 Spurlin Oct. 6, 1,953 FOREIGN PATENTSC -Australia V Q. my 27,;1951 

